New York City OCME: DNA Forensics Biology Laboratory

New York, New York

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City performs more DNA analyses than any other public laboratory in the country. Anticipating the full use of DNA testing not only in solving crimes but for supporting law enforcement in general, the Medical Examiner determined that a new stand-alone DNA Forensic Biology Laboratory would be necessary to replace the existing 6,300 sf facility.

The new 335,500 sf state-of-the-art DNA facility houses numerous forensic laboratories of various complexities, including: a casework analysis lab to identify perpetrators; an exemplar lab to process people known to be at the crime scene and to process paternity samples; a high-sensitivity lab for property crimes; an in-situ lab for ascertaining if genetic defects causing death have been transmitted within a family; and a mitochondrial lab for body identification and missing persons cases.